Regions and sub-regions in both Africa and Asia face
trans-boundary challenges where countries have to work together to
find satisfactory solutions.
In the water sector, the Mekong and Nile river basins are good
examples of a common resource that can be harnessed for development
through cooperation across countries.
The same is true for research in agriculture. The successful
regional collaborative research efforts that led to the Green
Revolution in Southeast Asia have contributed tremendously to
increase agricultural yield and thus prevent food shortages in
Asia.
In the area of regional health challenges, both Asia and Africa
face similar challenges, for example, the spread of the bird flu
virus, which can be met only through regional cooperation.
In addition, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
has emerged as one of the most successful regional organizations in
the developing world, attributed with ensuring regional
stability.
It has also served as a mechanism of regional and economic
development by promoting free regional trade under the ASEAN Free
Trade Area (FTA).
A number of regional organizations in Africa, such as Common
Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and Southern
African Development Community (SADC) are also implementing
Preferential Trade Areas (PTAs), and this session will provide
Africa and Asia the opportunity to share experiences.
Finally, an important determinant of Asia's economic performance
has been its dedicated and careful investment in
infrastructure.
More needs to be done in order to meet Africa's infrastructure
financing needs, both through increased financing which the
Commission for Africa estimates at about US$20 billion and regional
cooperation.
The need for regional cooperation in Africa is very important,
given that many of the poorest countries in Africa are landlocked
and small and their economic development depends on increased
cooperation with their neighbors.
(AfDB May 15, 2007)
